‘Well, well, well’ Daniel grins, leaning over the counter.

‘Sorry?’ Helen says archly.

‘That’s what it is...’ At Helen’s blank look, he explains further ‘The hole...the one in the garden...your garden...at Pennywell’

‘I had guessed that much’

‘Had you? ‘He looks crestfallen ‘I was hoping for something more interesting.....You know...a tunnel entrance, secret caves, something like that’

‘Some people have an over active imagination and some of us are more realistic, Mister Painter’ Helen taps the sheaf of papers she has been looking at in to a tidy bundle and pushes it into a folder ‘Have you seen the surveyor’s report?’

‘There isn’t one ...as such. I did say it was a friend who was taking a look....if only you’d listened’

‘Pardon?’

‘I said’ Daniel repeats, standing straight and facing her ‘That you would have known it was one of my acquaintances who was taking a look if only you took the time to listen instead of running off like a scalded cat every time I speak to you’

‘I do no such thing!’

‘I happen to think differently...but that doesn’t matter now’ he backs down under her furious glare ‘He’d quite like to have a proper look if that’s okay with you’

‘If he hasn’t had a proper look, how exactly has he managed to deduce that it is a well?’

Daniel sighs ‘Stone me, someone got out the wrong side of the bed this morning...or is it that didn’t you want to get out at all?’ his eyebrows flick as the corners of his mouth turn up. ‘Sorry’ he grimaces as she colours. ‘Forget my little attempt at a joke’

‘Oh, is that what it was?’

‘Why is it I always manage to put my foot in it with you? I never intend to, it just happens’

Helen ignores his musings, tucks the folder under her arm and picks up a pile of books ‘I would like to have it made safe as soon as possible’ she says, getting ready to leave the counter ‘I need to know if it is just a matter of filling it in or if there are other considerations to be taken into account. If your friend is unable to answer that, then I shall have to get someone else to come and take a look’

‘He is a fully qualified surveyor’ Daniel huffs ‘He’s perfectly able to advise you on everything to do with the soil, water courses and holes which go through one to reach the other!’ his tone matches hers for hostility.

‘Then perhaps you would be good enough to ask him to contact me so that I may put my dealings with him on a more formal footing’ she snaps.

‘And in the meantime....’ Daniel persists ‘He can look down there?’

‘As long as he understands that I take no responsibility for any accidents involving said well, he can do as he wishes, it’s nothing to me...Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do’

‘Fine!’ he retorts. ‘Thank you for your time. When you need another favour doing, just let me know’

‘Mister Painter, it was you who made the offer, I did not ask any favour from you at all. I am wholly capable of engaging a surveyor have I need of one’

‘Yes, I’m sure you are. Very capable’

Helen fixes him with another glare before turning on her heel and walking away.

The Village Library

Chapter Thirty-one

Orchard Barn, Nr. Bath

‘It’s only for a short while’ Christopher says, closing the bedroom door quietly ‘She can’t be on her own at a time like this’

‘A time like what?’ Lynn turns from the window to glare at him ‘And she wouldn’t BE on her own. There’s the housekeeper and this mammoth entourage of friends we can’t possibly compete with in this dead and alive hole!’

‘Aw, Lynn, come on darling’ he stretches out a hand and rub it soothingly on her upper arm ‘please try to understand. The girl has gone through an awful ordeal’

‘Yes, and don’t we know it!’ she stares down at the hand until he removes it ‘I’m sorry, Chris, but this truce we’ve supposedly declared is very one sided’

‘I don’t know how you can say that’

‘I can say it because it’s true. You don’t see or hear what goes on when you’re not around. It’s the little things. I’ve almost bitten my tongue through on occasion and I’ve had it up to here!’ The side of Lynn’s hand hits against her brow.

‘You want me to speak to her again?’ Chris offers, stooping slightly to smile at her.

‘What’s the point?’ she sighs and turns back to the window ‘She’ll only sweet talk you as she usually does and I come out as the big bad wolf....yet again!’

‘That is simply not true’

‘Isn’t it?’

‘No. I don’t take sides’

‘Huh!’

‘Lynn, I’m trying to be fair here’

‘Fair?’ she swings round ‘That’s the last thing you’re being. Perhaps it might not be so bad if it had been my decision in the first place but I had no say in it whatsoever! You turned up here with her in tow after the funeral and I was supposed to just accept it without a by your leave’

‘You wanted me to ring first...clear it with you?’

‘It might have been nice’

‘And make me look like some child who has to get permission from their mother before they bring someone home for tea?’

‘Tea, I could have managed’ her mouth purses with annoyance.

‘What I’m saying’ Chris says in a sarcastically patient tone ‘is that you would have made me look like a fool in front of my daughter. If you’d said no, what then, sorry, I’m not ‘allowed’?’

‘So you admit you thought I’d be likely to say no?’ Lynn seizes on the argument.

Chris scratches at an eyebrow then rubs his forehead and gives a weary sigh. ‘I’m not admitting anything but you have to agree that I was in a very difficult situation’

‘No, no I don’t’ she retaliates immediately ‘Everything that girl wants, she gets and she knew damed well it would cause friction between us, that’s the only reason she was still  too bloody ‘traumatised’ to be on her own! God help me, if she says that word one more time, I’ll stuff it down her throat with my fist!’

’Lynn!’

‘I will, Chris, and I mean it. That’s her excuse for everything, her excuse for acting like some prima donna...no, not LIKE some prima donna, she IS one!’

‘I’ve seen no evidence of that’ he says, his brows drawing together in

a frown of scepticism

.

‘Precisely, YOU haven’t! She’s a crafty little cow and I can see right through her even if you can’t’

‘I won’t have you talking like that!’  An angry flush stains his cheeks.

‘You won’t? Then I suggest you take your precious daughter and clear off back to London’ Lynn throws out an arm and point s to the door ‘because, if you’re going to put her before me, then I don’t want you in this house either’

‘Darling’ Christopher attempts to appease ‘let’s not fall out’

‘We HAVE fallen out, Christopher, and that’s exactly what she had planned. I’m not the stupid one here ’

‘Are you saying that I’m stupid?’ he says resentfully.

‘Yes, I damned well am!’

He grimaces and rubs his hand over his forehead again ‘I think I had better go and leave you to calm down’ he takes a step backwards and starts to turn away. He nods at his decision ‘We can talk about this later when you’re being more reasonable’

‘For crying out loud’ Lynn raises her voice in sheer frustration ‘nothing is going to change! Unlike some, I don’t pretend anything. It’s not me who wheedles and whines just so you turn cartwheels to try and make me happy and I don’t weep and wail to get what I want either so don’t you dare dismiss the way I feel as being unreasonable!’

‘Not even a little unreasonable?’ he purposely lowers his tone as a complete contrast.

‘NO! How many more times? I don’t care how you do it but I want her out of my house and if that means you going with her, then so be it. I’m past caring about that too’

‘Lynn, you don’t mean that’ Christopher’s voice registers shock.

‘Don’t I?’

‘I’m hoping not’ he says with some anxiety ‘I know this whole situation has got out of hand and I don’t know quite what to do about it but one thing’s certain, I do love you and I don’t want to leave, not ever.  I’ve never been happier until now...’ he pauses, uncertain if he should say what he was going to ‘....  but I have to say I find your whole attitude upsetting’

‘Mine?’ Lynn stares at him open-mouthed. ‘That’s it, Christopher, you go and take her with you. I’m sure we can arrange some sort of access to Cerys...if you can be bothered’

‘That is unfair’

‘Is it? What time have you spent with her over the last few weeks? Precious little, that’s what, yet you dance attendance on dear Immie, the ‘poor child’. She’s her mother all over again but you can’t see it, can you?’

‘She needs our help. It’s an awful thing she has to come to terms with’ he says quietly.

‘Then you go and help but not here in this house and don’t expect me to be any part of it either. When you see sense, the truth, then I’ll see how I feel about you coming back’ Lynn folds her arms and turns to resolutely stare out of the window again.

‘Darling...please’ Christopher puts his hands on her shoulders and tries to embrace her.

Lynn shrugs him off ‘She goes or you both go. I’ve made my decision. It’s up to you now’